FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – September 15, 2015

Colorado-Based Intra-Ocular Lens Company, ClearSight, to Present
at 2015 Rocky Mountain Life Science Investor and Partnering Conference

ClearSight executives to present a novel approach to prevent Posterior Capsular Opacification (PCO) using a new lens design paired with the Sharklet™ topography to control tissue cell migration

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DENVER – Colorado-based medical device company ClearSight, LLC, has been selected by the Rocky Mountain Life Science Investor and Partnering Conference selection committee to present at the Sept. 23-24 2015 Rocky Mountain Life Science Investor and Partnering Conference (RMLIPC) in Vail, Colo. The company will join an exclusive group of 29 other innovative life science companies from a five-state region to present to investors and partnering companies.

ClearSight is developing and commercializing the ClearSight™ IOL, a novel intra-ocular lens, which marries two technologies to prevent posterior capsular opacification (PCO), one of the most frequent surgical complications in the field of ophthalmology. The ClearSight IOL is the first lens to feature 360° dual square edges surrounding the optic which creates barrier protection across the full circumference of the capsular bag. The device also features Sharklet™, the world’s first and only micro-pattern technology which is proven to control tissue cell migration.

The combination of form and function in the ClearSight IOL has shown to effectively prevent the migration of lens epithelial cells (LECs), the primary cause of PCO. In vitro studies revealed an 80 percent reduction in LEC migration, while in vivo rabbit studies yielded a 70 percent reduction of total PCO, and a 100 percent reduction in visually significant PCO. The results signify a breakthrough in PCO prevention.

PCO is the primary complication of cataract surgery occurring in up to 50 percent of patients within five years of surgery. Today, no preventative treatments exist. Currently, the only procedure to correct PCO is laser surgery which is both costly and time consuming for patients and the Medicare system. The complication, surgery and follow-on care costs the U.S. Medicare system upwards of $350 million annually, growing to $1 billion by 2050. Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness and visual impairment worldwide. The World Health Organization estimates that 32 million cataracts operations will be performed by 2020, an increase from 12 million in 2000.

“We are pleased to share this breakthrough intraocular lens technology which holds the promise to fundamentally change ophthalmologic care, improve patient outcomes and reduce a costly burden on the healthcare system,” says Dr. Shravanthi Reddy, COO of ClearSight and Vice President of Research & Development for parent company Sharklet Technologies.

“As a practicing ophthalmologist and medical director of Rocky Mountain Ophthalmology, I have witnessed firsthand the profound impact this advancement will make in patient care,” says Dr. Kevin Cuevas, ClearSight’s Chief Medical Officer and inventor of the novel IOL design. “The combination of the Sharklet technology and the 360 dual square edge design is a one-two punch that can dramatically improve the field of ophthalmology.”

ClearSight is developing the ClearSight IOL through a non-dilutive $1.5 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant. ClearSight holds three issued U.S. patents and has made five additional filings. The Sharklet micro-pattern is protected by a series of intellectual property filings and granted patents.

The RMLIPC is the region’s premier investor and partnering conference bringing together innovative companies from Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico and Utah. The Rocky Mountain region is the largest and most advanced area for bioscience between the two coasts. Colorado ranks in the top 10 among states for venture capital investment in the life sciences, garnering more than $1.2 billion dollars in financings and investments from 2011-2013.

Event hashtags: #RockyMtnBioInvest #ClearSight

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Media Contact:
For ClearSight, LLC
Sarah Eder
Primavera Group
(303) 887-9744
sarah@theprimaveragroup.com